the illusionist

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I went to see David Copperfield's show last night at The Sony Centre:

David Copperfield
March 28, 2008 - March 30, 2008
An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion



"David Copperfield has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as the greatest illusionist of our time. In addition to decades of network television events, worldwide tours, and “Dreams and Nightmares,” the critically acclaimed Broadway show that set box-office records, he has been featured on the covers of Forbes, Architectural Digest and Esquire and is the thirteenth highest paid entertainer in the world. "

He has a pretty intense gaze doesn't he? I find it a bit freaky how his skin is pale white and his eyes are a bit bloodshot - makes him look a bit undead :P For some reason, I always thought he was a lot older but after seeing him in person he looks quite young actually. I think because I only remember pictures of him in outdatedhairstyles like these lol:



Anyway, the show was quite interesting. I'm still trying to figure out some of 'em, especially the last few. In one, he made a whole car materialize under a sheet. Before he started, there were audience members invited onstage and he told them to walk around the stage and there was nothing there besides some pillars that reach up to your waist. Then 2 audience members were told to crouch and hug two of the pillars in front. A silver sheet was laid over the pillars and when the sheet was removed again, there was a shiny blue car underneath....And of course he got in the car, started it and turned the wheels just to show us it was indeed a real car.

Another interesting one was the lottery trick. Early in the trick he produced a locked box that supposedly contained a series of 6 numbers and an audio casette of him reading the numbers. Then he threw several frisbees into the audience, whoever caught them was picked to select 2 numbers at random between 1-40. And what made it entertaining was the people were asked some rather personal questions as well. He asked the first guy if he was wearing boxers or briefs, and lol you could see how mortified the guy was. And then he asked, "What colour are the boxers?". "Black."

The second guy, after he picked his 2 numbers was asked by DC, "When was the last time....you got busy?" LOL we were all laughing and the poor man had an embarassed grin on his face. DC:"Hours, days, weeks, months...?" He took awhile to answer: "2 days." DC: "Was it with a partner?" Second guy:"......."

When the box was finally opened the paper inside contained all 6 numbers that were picked by those 3 audience members! and whats weirder is that it contained the same personal info about them too - that one was wearing black boxers, and another person got busy 2 days ago. The tape in the box was a recording of DC saying the exact same numbers and information. Weird...

But I think the one that impressed me the most was the last trick. Nine audience members were brought up onstage, told to sit on a metal platform and a sheet was placed over the frame of the platform. You knew they were still there because he handed then flashlights to shine on the sheet. After a few minutes of this, he pulled off the sheet and there was NO ONE on the platform!...no idea how he did this because right up to the last second you could see the flashlights still waving around on the platform.

I was disappointed that the show was so short -it was 1.5 hrs but I guess I expected more. Good thing I didn't actually have to pay for the tickets :) And, I know it sounds corny, but I was so ready to see one of those typical stunts with a tiger in a cage or something :P lol oh well.